Please send TDS your current valid and signed passport, plus one photocopy of the vital information page It must not expire within 6 months and must have at least one blank visa page. If you do not have any blank visa pages in your passport, TDS can assist you in applying for additional pages. If your passport expires within 6 months, you must renew your passport and then we will secure your visa with the new passport.

Please send 1 recent professional passport-type photograph.
Passport Photo Guide - Click Here

A business letter of responsibility (sample) is required, to be typewritten on your company letterhead (Please include company's Fax Number as part of the letterhead) and addressed to:
Consulate of China, Visa Section, Houston, TX
The letter must explain all of the following:
Nature of business to be performed
Name and address of reference to be visited
This letter should request Multiple Entries visa if required
Guarantee of return transportation and sufficient funds for the visit
The letter should be signed by an officer of the company other than the applicant.

The original and a photocopy of an Invitation Letter by a Duly Authorized Unit, or a Confirmation Letter of Invitation issued by an authorized Chinese agency, and one of the following documents:

A. Foreigner Employment Permit issued by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security of China;

B. Foreign Expert Confirmation Document issued by State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs of China;

C. Letter of Invitation to Foreigners for Offshore Petroleum Operations in the People's Republic of China issued by China National Offshore Oil Corporation;

D. Registration Certificate of Foreign Enterprises' Permanent Representative Offices in China issued by the State Administration for Industry and Commerce, or the approval document for the permanent representative offices of foreign enterprises issued by related commercial departments;

E. Approval document issued by the Ministry of Culture for those who come to China for commercial performances.

F. Invitation Letter by a Duly Authorized Unit or a Confirmation Letter of Invitation issued by the Foreign Affairs Office of a province (autonomous region, city).

All Letters of Invitation must include applicant's Passport Number and Date of Birth.

Accompanying family members of foreigners working in China should submit an Invitation Letter by a Duly Authorized Unit or Confirmation Letter of Invitation issued by an authorized Chinese agency, and proof of kinship, e.g. marriage certificate, birth certificate, etc. There is no need for them to submit documents of employment permit.

* Z Visa holders must apply for a residence permit at the local public security authorities within 30 days of entry into China.

First time applicants whose former nationality was Chinese, shall write down his/her Chinese name in the application form and submit his/her original Chinese passport and a photocopy of the information page of the passport; if the name in the new passport is different from that in the old one, an official document for name change should be provided; applicant who was formerly Chinese and has acquired a new US passport, if there is a Chinese visa in the old passport, he/she shall submit his old US passport or the photocopy of the Chinese visa.

Documentations for a child with Chinese descent born in US
A child with Chinese descent born in US applying visa for the first time should provide the original and a photocopy of either parent's foreign passport or green card and Certificate of Birth besides other regular materials.

A child with Chinese descent born in US applying for a visa who has had a Chinese visa before could provide a photocopy of the former visa instead of either parent's foreign passport or green card or Certificate of Birth.

If the visa application form is not filled out completely, correctly and legibly, this can cause a delay in processing or refusal of the requested visa.

2. The ( Z ) visa is valid for one entry, three months. The holder of a (Z) visa shall go through residential formalities in the local public security department within thirty days of entry into China.

3. Visa Officers may require some other relevant documents.

4. Any person suffering from a mental disorder, leprosy, AIDS, venereal diseases, contagious tuberculosis or other such infectious diseases shall not be permitted to enter China.

Please Note - Chinese visas use the yy/mm/dd format.

If Applications require Same-Day or 24 hours processing please send to TDS using only FedEx Overnight Priority Service

Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)

By connecting on the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, State Department will be able to assist you better in the case of an emergency, such as if you lose your passport or it is stolen while you are abroad.